Short Paragraph on Guruvayur Temple Festival

Here is your short paragraph on Guruvayur temple festival:

This temple festival occurs in the month of February-March (Kumbham) starts on the day of Pushya Nakshatra around 10.00 p.m. with the hoisting of the temple flag on the dhwajasthambha.

The power (Chaitanya) of Garuda, the constant comparison and carrier of the Lord, is transferred to the Stambha by tantric rites.

At Guruvayur lies the sacred shrine of Sri Krishna (in the form of Lord Vishnu). Here the annual Ekadasi festival is celebrated, the day hallowed by Lord Krishna giving the. Vishvarupa Darshan to Arjuna the day when the Lord gave that Darshan to Mepattur when he sang, “Him I see…….. “.

The Guruvayur temple organises an elephant race on the day of the flag- hoisting. Fifteen to twenty Devaswom elephants are taken out in line and posted at the extremity of the eastern nada (gate). Just at the time of muhurtam they are instructed through land gestures to race towards the temple and the elephant that reaches first and touches the flag-staff is given the honour of carrying the Thidambu (image of the Lord). Because of this race, there is no elephant for the morning Siveli deity taken in procession on elephant around the temple.

There is a legend behind the elephant race. Many years ago, no elephant was available for the Guruvayur Utsavam as, on the same day, there was the Utsavam at Thrikkanamathilakam near Kodungallor and all the elephants were employed for that festival.

So the ceremony at Guruvayur was to go without an elephant. But to everyone’s utter surprise, as the festival was to start, one elephant (as though by divine command) turned course and went running to Guruvayur followed by bewildered mahouts. On reaching the nadappura, the elephant calmly took its place near the flag-staff. From that day onwards, an elephant race is held every year to commemorate this event.